Tis the Season for Sexual Tension
by locofoco
Summary: A gift of good cheer would have done her better, but all Lily was given was having everyone but James know she loved him. LJ xmas themed one shot


'Tis the Season for Sexual Tension by locofoco

No matter what I said, and no matter what I did, Christmas seemed one of those holidays that I could never grasp. All my previous years at Hogwarts, I went home, but now in my final year, my sister put the whole house in shambles after introducing Vernon Dursley to my parents, and I couldn't even step foot inside because it was such a war zone. However, I'd found out a few people from my house were staying behind also.

There was a girl a year below me I remember tripped around Professor Flitwick once, and ending up toppling him. I'd already known that James Potter and two of his friends stayed behind, but I couldn't say that bothered me like it would have before. James had proven to be human this year, riddle me not. I also saw a second year scurrying about the other day, and I meant to say hello, but he was quite fast.

Then there was me. The girl named after a flower. Since James had proven to be human, and I could stand his presence – and Remus was always a dear friend – I had no choice but to enjoy the holidays with his friends and him.

"Prongs."

"What?"

"Nothing, just saying your name."

James rubbed his forehead and exhaled slowly. "Sirius, you've been doing that for over an hour."

"I know."

I bent down towards Remus, who was busying himself with a novel. "Does he do that a lot?"

"Lily," he said, raising an eyebrow, "you've hung out with us for nearly a week nonstop, and you haven't noticed?"

We smiled and each other, and turned away. The room was suddenly quiet.

"Psst, Lily," Sirius said, switching his charade onto me.

I groaned, leaned my head back into the coach, barely having the energy to whack Remus in the back of the head when he laughed out.

Normally, we lazed around in our pajamas in the common room, not bringing ourselves away from the warmth of the fireplace. James took residence sitting on one side of me, and Remus sat on my other incase I ever lost my sanity and needed immediate medical attention. His exact words were: "James can be a handful, and besides, if he could, Sirius would take your other side."

The thought of having the two next to me chilled me to my bones.

However, James was a gentleman and did not advance our newfound friendship at all. Of course, he was still a teenage boy with an obsession with me, thus I wasn't at all surprised when he placed his arm on the backside of the couch behind me. He never touched me, though, and I supposed then that was all right.

Of course, soon I felt this trickle down my back every time, and I couldn't help thinking, _What if I want him to touch my shoulder?_

When Christmas finally came around, my ordinary holiday luck was returning full throttle, and not only had I grudgingly developed feelings for James, but since he was acting like such a sodding gentlemen, _my _hormones actually went on over drive, and I even had inappropriate thoughts about him touching me…and not just on my shoulder.

Damn those hormones.

I found it quite hilarious when Remus got a thick volume about fairy tales from one of Sirius's little cousins, apparently a sane one by how Sirius spoke so highly of her.

"_Dear, Remus_," James read from the card provided, "_I hope you have a nice Christmas, and eat nice food. Don't forget to visit me _– wait, no, that was crossed out, sorry _– us sometime. Love, Tonks._"

He locked eyes with Sirius, and both cooed, "Awww!"

"Remus has a little secret admirer!" Sirius wailed, and laughed along with James.

"Yeah, yeah," Remus grumbled, "simply hilarious."

"Amazing how she likes you more than me," Sirius suggested, "when I'm her own flesh and blood."

Remus shrugged. "Perhaps it's my undeniable charm?"

"Or," James said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, "it's because you are both freaks, and understand your freakish ways."

I watched the exchange with curiosity, not understanding James's comment the least bit, but Remus seemed to, and rolled his eyes.

"You know what they say, Moony," Sirius said, "_puppy_ love."

James and him cracked up so much, James's arm slide down from the back of the couch and touched my shoulder. Just as I was basking in my teenage pleasure, he muttered an apology and slid it back up. Aggravated but determined not to show it, I muttered, "It's all right," and that was that.

Only, apparently, it wasn't that because Sirius of all people saw the slight sadness that seeped across my face. Soon after we opened the rest of our gifts and Remus got teased again, James's stomach growled – my heart plunged at the thought of hunger paining him. _Where in the name of Merlin did that come from? _– and we all decided it was best to eat. I was one of the last to exit through the portrait hole when someone grasped my arm and kept me from leaving.

I turned around not knowing what to expect, and nearly rammed my face into Sirius's chest. I took a step back, and stared at him in the eye. "What?" I said rather unceremoniously.

He didn't waste a second. "You fancy James."

"No, I don't!" I lied.

He grinned. "Yes, you do, and I can prove it."

I scoffed. "Chinese water torture?"

"Nope, even worse," he bent down until we were eye to eye, "sexual tension."

My jaw fell to the floor. "_Evil_!"

He laughed. "Yes, well, I do try to fill in mummy's footsteps."

He pushed me lightly through the exit, and I was thankful to find that James and Remus occupied themselves with talking to some portraits, and hadn't been eavesdropping on our conversation. I paid more attention than I should have on how the light reflected off of James's hair and glasses, and Sirius nudged me, a beginning of a cheeky grin on his face.

James cruelly sat next to me at breakfast. Sirius asked him if he could pass the pumpkin juice, the butter and jam, the toast, and whatever was to the side of me and too far for him to reach for, and every time James's arm – his shirt sleeve rolled up all the way to his elbow. I nearly drooled – brushed my own. Whenever James was occupied with his food, I glared long and hard at Sirius. Long and hard, indeed. However, every single time, Remus noticed, and after a few glares, Sirius bent over and whispered into his ear. Remus then looked from me to James, James to me, and smirked.

Christmas, what woes you brought to my life! A gift of good cheer would have done me much better, and all you gave to me was having everyone but James know I liked him, a creepy looking doll from my aunt who still thought I was five, an ugly sweater two sizes too big from my sister, and a new series from my parents. Actually, the last one wasn't that bad. Unless, of course, you counted what the three nincompoops gave me. A book Remus recommended – I started it, and it was really suspenseful even on the first chapter – a thousand and one licorice wands from Sirius, and a book James called manga. He had discovered it over summer and thought it was interesting, and decided to give me one to expand my reading genres.

Now what, Christmas? You gave me sexual tension that Sirius – and now Remus – will no doubt try hard to double, triple, quadruple! I seethe at you my ultimate.

"Why, Moony," Sirius said abruptly, monotonously, "I think I need your help on an essay. Maybe we should go back up to the common room, leaving Lily and James here, so you can help me."

"Yes," Remus replied, slightly better than Sirius had, but still pretty awful, "I think we should. After all, you need to pass your NEWTs."

They bowed to the two of us, and then scurried off and out of the Great Hall. James raised an eyebrow at them. "I thought he finished his homework," he said, but shrugged. "Oh, well. Whatever floats his boat, I guess."

However, I knew exactly what floated his boat, and it wasn't that essay. I shifted in my seat, only to rub against James. If I wasn't a redhead, my cheeks wouldn't have responded so quickly or even at all. I looked at James out of the corner of my eye, and he was smiling. _Smiling_. The air soon turned hot, I unhooked my feet from under the table to rest them on the seat in front of me, but before I could raise them, one bonked into James's and my cheeks reddened even more.

"Pumpkin juice?" I squawked.

"No, thank you. Lily, are you all right? Your face is all red."

_Yes, well..._

"I'm OK," I said, and my face felt even hotter. I was determined not to look at him at least directly, and once more gazed at him through my peripheral vision. He was staring at me oddly, whether because he knew I was definitely not all right or because I was wolfing down a portion of eggs I had never before seen on one plate. When I was about to gulp down the jug of pumpkin juice and butter all the toast I could see, he cleared his throat.

"Lily, you seem off."

That was the understatement of the year, but I really couldn't hold it against him since he was so incredibly adorable and fantasy worthy. Not to mention honorable when I looked past all my prejudices about him. He only messed with Snape for me…even though he was completely wrong about it. He was a very responsible Head Boy, and often I found him helping out first years with their homework, Transfiguration mostly. He _was_ charming, funny but still serious, responsible, good conversation, and not to mention really, really good-looking. He was intelligent. Plus, fun to pretend you're walking on the beach with as the sun sets and the wind flows through your hair, and then he bends down on one knee...

Oh. My. Merlin.

"James," I gasped, turning to him, but one look into his hazel eyes and I shifted right back around. "I have a confession to make."

_Deep breaths, Lily. In, out, in, out. You can do this. James, I love you. Easy. Say it... Say it..._

"I…," I paused. No, I needed to do this, and I couldn't say my confession was that I wanted him to pass the butter. I had to _tell_ him that I loved him even after I rejected him too many times. I couldn't run away. Head Girl could not just run away. I was a Gryffindor! I can do this! "James, I–"

He placed his hand on my shoulder. I knew it meant comfort, but it was his _hand _on my _shoulder_. I couldn't think about anything other than the warmth radiating from his body onto mine. I was…he was...Oh, geez.

"I love you," I said. I said it. I said it. Oh, I said it!

All he did was gawk at me, and his mouth opened and shut repetitively. I glanced away from him shortly, but he was still staring at me. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and his hand was still resting on my shoulder, and I looked away completely. His other hand flew to my other shoulder, and he spun me around. I took a quick peek at his face before lowering my eyes back down at my hands, but had noticed he looked more calm and serene.

"Lily," he said, my heart pounding at the sound of my name crossing his lips. "Lily, look at me."

Not wanting to cause more embarrassment to myself like him grabbing my chin, I just looked up at him, a little shaky, but still.

He smiled warmly at me, and almost chuckled. "Can I ask you one question?"

I nodded meekly.

"What took you so long?"

I laughed, and then he did too. His fingers started to drum on my shoulders.

"I hope you don't feel bad about this, but," he gazed at my hands, took a breath, and jerked his head back up, "I've waited a long time for this, and haven't even kissed my _mum_ in centuries..."

I smiled, and cocked my head. "Sure."

With possibly more sexual tension cooped up than I had felt this whole year, James scooped me up, crashed his mouth against mine, and made sure that kiss would keep me with him forever.

The End

* * *

_I've cleverly posted this on my birthday (sweet sixteen!), so make me happy and review as a gift. ;)_

_Oh, Remus told me he'd get hungry like the wolf with whoever reviews, regardless of a birthday girl or not. _


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